The story behind Malcolm
Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns derived from máel (“tonsured”) from Proto-Celtic *mailos, and columb (“dove”) from Latin columbus.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈmæl.kəm/
Popularity
Malcolm ranked #272 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Malcolm
Callum
Scottish surname, shortened from McCallum; also a variant of Calum.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Maksym
a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Maximus
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mariyam
Borrowed from Classical Persian مریم (maryam), from Arabic مَرْيَم (maryam), from Aramaic מרים (maryam), from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (mīryām).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Martim
Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Martin, from Latin Martīnus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Maryam
Inherited from Malay Maryam, from Arabic مَرْيَم (maryam), from Aramaic מרים (maryam). Doublet of Maria. From Aramaic and post-Biblical Hebrew מרים (Maryam), from Biblical…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Maxim
From the Latin saint's name Maximus, cognate to French Maxime and Russian Макси́м (Maksím).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Malcolm
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Alistair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the stem…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Malcolm
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Alaster
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Alistair.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length